Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our government is not adequately supporting children with special needs. In fact, we are failing them and failing their families. Many see special needs children as those affected with FAS or FAE, but there are many more conditions that affect some of our kids, for examples, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and autism. What are we doing to help them achieve their best?
Mr. Speaker, if these children make it through, it certainly is not because of the support they receive from government sources. It is largely because the families of these children are exhausting themselves physically and financially trying to help their child keep up. These parents are desperate for help.
Mr. Speaker, special needs children are not a family issue. These children are not indicative of a dysfunctional home. They have medical conditions that mean they need special assistance to flourish.
In a student needs survey two years ago, teachers responded that 27 percent of students needed assessments. That is one-third of our children in school in the whole Northwest Territories. Once the few who do get an assessment are diagnosed, we continue to fail them.
For instance, Mr. Speaker, in Yellowknife, we have one visiting child psychologist who travels here once a month for three days. Mr. Speaker, in that same student needs survey, teachers responded overwhelmingly that their first concern was to get more trained classroom assistants.
Our Education Act says that students with special needs are entitled to inclusive education. In fact, a department directive specifies that inclusion is "...not simply placing students with exceptional needs into the regular classroom without essential supports and services." Mr. Speaker, without adequate support, these children fall behind, become labelled, are passed to the next grade and end up with very serious problems.
We cannot have one teacher assistant with an unworkable number of special needs children in the classroom. We should not have principals being forced to make decisions about who gets assistance and who does not.
Mr. Speaker, we in the Northwest Territories do not even have clear definitions and specifications as to what special needs require what level of assistance. It is time that this government moves to do that. This is already done both nationally and in other provinces and it would not be difficult to do here.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.